1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vending machine. More specifically, the present invention relates to a so-called multi-vending type vending machine which is provided with a plurality of selection switches, which enables to sell an arbitrary item out of a plurality of items in response to the selective operation of these switches.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One example of the vending machine of this kind is disclosed for example in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,105 issued on Oct. 28, 1980. In this prior art, the total accumulated sales figures can be displayed for the owner or the manager of the vending machine. In this prior art, however, despite a vending machine capable of vending a plurality of items, only sales data as a whole can be displayed. Accordingly, sales amount on each item basis is not available in an exact manner.
In the invention disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 161996/1979 laid-open on Dec. 22, 1979 (which is on the same invention disclosed in the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 906,234, now abandoned, applied on May 15, 1978), the accumulated data are obtainable on each item basis, and the same can be displayed. Accordingly, the actual sales state can be grasped accurately on each item basis, this brings more effective informations to the owner and the manager. In this prior art, however, specially installed switches must be used to read the accumulated data on each item basis, and accordingly, not only the configuration becomes complicated as a whole, but also the machine becomes expensive, and furthermore when the totalization is performed frequently, its maneuverability becomes a problem.